Secret Ingredient Beef Stew
★★★★☆
PREP TIME
15 minutes
COOK TIME
3 hours 20 minutes
SERVES
8-10
Ingredients
5 pounds
beef stewing meat, cut into 2-3 inch pieces
1 pinch
salt, plus more to taste
1 pinch
pepper, plus more to taste
1/3 cup
mixed olive and canola oil
2
leeks, washed well and cut thinly
1
large onion, diced
8
cloves garlic, minced
2
carrots, diced
4
celery ribs, diced
4 ounces
white mushrooms, roughly chopped
1/4 cup
tomato paste
2
anchovies
1/2 cup
red wine vinegar
1 cup
red wine
3 cups
beef broth
1 cup
canned whole tomatoes with juices
1 1/2 teaspoons
salt
3
bay leaves
3/4 teaspoon
dried thyme
1/3 cup
chopped parsley
Instructions
- Season the beef with salt and pepper on both sides. Brown the meat in batches in a 5-6 quart Dutch oven over high heat, adding more oil as needed. Remove to a plate.
- Lower the heat and add all the vegetables. Cook for 5-10 minutes until softened. Stir in the tomato paste and anchovies and cook to melt the anchovies and distribute.
- Add the beef back in, with its juices. Add the wine, vinegar, and tomatoes with juice (breaking them up against the side of the pot as you go) and bring to a boil. Add the stock to cover (you may need a bit more than 3 cups). Put in the salt, bay leaf, thyme, bring to a boil. Simmer, partially covered, for 2-3 hours until the meat is tender. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate.
- When cool, skim off much of the fat from the top. Reheat over low heat, letting the stew simmer 30-45 minutes before serving.
- Mix in half of the parsley and garnish with the rest.
